Best of Previous Month
Both sides of the so-called secular-communal divide now need to reaffirm their commitment to the imperatives spelt out in the Constitution: transparent, accountable and effective democratic governance, a level-playing field for disadvantaged groups, and respect for religious and cultural pluralism. This is what all patriotic Indians in their overwhelming numbers aspire to....
The Iranian Maoist attacks on Khomeini’s Islamic state would make their Indian counterparts look like novices. In one instance, they blew up parliament with the prime minister and his cabinet buried in it. The West applauded and we can safely assume even helped them. They became the CIA’s eye in Saddam Hussein’s Iraq....
Those explanations leave unaddressed the question of why the U.S. repeats this failed policy again and again. Even conventional ideological explanations may not help, and perhaps some other form of inquiry is needed. Hannah Arendt wrote in On Revolution that the American revolution led to the founding of a state in opposition to the ethos of the corrupt, intrigue-ridden, feudal monarchies of late mediaeval Europe,...
“First, we must finish the work of defeating al Qaeda and its associated forces. In Afghanistan, we will complete our transition to Afghan responsibility for security. Our troops will come home. Our combat mission will come to an end. And we will work with the Afghan government to train security forces, and sustain a counter-terrorism force, which ensures that al Qaeda can never again establish a safe-haven to launch attacks against us or our allies.”...
FEARING Allah is a positive trait that once properly settled into the heart changes one’s life considerably to be in conformity with divine injunctions. Therefore, as once said by one of the early pious predecessors, when fearing others, you flee from them, but when fearing Allah, you flee to Him....
Media-savvy, and far more intelligent than his oafish demeanour suggests, Choudary was given star billing on a discussion panel with Newsnight presenter Kirsty Wark, as he insisted he was not a ‘hate preacher’ or Islamic extremist. The 45-year-old, who is often seen talking in whispers with young acolytes at Middle Eastern cafes in London, was given a platform as if he were a respected academic talking at arm’s length about Islamic extremism….
Today al-Awlaki exercises considerable influence from beyond the grave through the political warfare magazine Inspire. It conveys his idea that extremist Muslims should carry out covert operations against targets independently, both to terrorise populations and disrupt the security services. If one cell is captured, it will not compromise the plotting of another....
She admirably challenges popular myths which suggest that people living under an Islamic Republic must be so horrifically different from those living under a democratic regime. The patients she describes come to her with personal issues as far-ranging as affairs, relationship problems, bad dreams, divorce, sex, and so on, proving to be nothing out of the ordinary as many might expect from an alien culture, as is Iran’s for Western readers....
Last year, loans were prohibited. This year, the interest on loans is seen as administrative fees. Elections were prohibited, but it is okay to resort to them now to attain authority. Females going out to vote is prohibited, but if the candidate is an Islamist, then we need the vote of every sister for the sake of God’s victory. At this point, I cannot help but repeat the question of the Muslim American sister: “Okay, fine. They are fooling us, but do they think they will fool God?”...
There are several theories to explain the attacks. The philosopher could have been targeted because he is wrongly believed to be related to the ruling Assad family, and is revered by Shiite Muslims for being presumably a member of the family of Imam Ali and therefore a relative of the prophet Mohammed....
War holds a terrible appeal for democratic leaders. Most of Europe's rulers have other matters on their hands, but Britain and France, two nations whose ancient empires carved up the Levant between them, cannot keep out of it. They see national interest and danger where none exists. They cannot relieve Syria's agony, yet hope some vague belligerence might bring relief. The reality is they hope that belligerence might draw attention from political troubles back home. That is the worst reason for going to war....
This is inhumane, taboo, not a result of passion but of malice — ritualistic. “If this is happening to guiltless men on our streets it could happen to me,” I thought. Then I watched the mobile phone clip. In spite of his dispassionate intoning the subject is not rational....
اگر ہم انسانی مسائل کے حل کےلیے گفتگو او رڈائیلاگ کوایک بہتر متبادل مان لیں اور اس سے استفاعہ کرنےلگیں تو یقین سے یہ تو نہیں کہا جاسکتا ہے کہ اس سے سارے مسئلے حل ہوجائیں گےاور سارے دکھ دورہوجائیں گےمگر اتنا تیقن سے ضرور کہا جاسکتا ہے کہ موجودہ انتہا پسند ی اور دہشت گردی کی شدت میں ضرور اس سے کمی آجائے گی۔ دنیابہت تیزی سےتبدیل ہورہی ہے ۔ آج جنگ ، فوجی مداخلت یا تشدد سب کاؤنٹر پروڈکٹ ( الٹا نتیجہ دینے والے)ثابت ہو رہے ہیں۔ امریکہ جیسی بڑی اور مہیب طاقت کے لیے بھی یہ ممکن نہیں ہے کہ فوجی مداخلت سےاورجنگ سے سب کو مفتوح کرلے اور مسئلے حل کرلے۔
اگر کسی جگہ کوئی جرم سر زد ہوتا ہے تو یہ ملک کے قانون نافذ کرنے والے اداروں اور عدالتوں کا کام ہے کہ وہ اس کا فیصلہ کریں نہ کہ ہرکوئی اُٹھ کر خود ہی پولیس اور جج بن جاے ٴ ۔ یہ نظامِ مملکت کی ذمہ داری ہے ، کسی فرد یا جماعت کو کوئی حق حاصل نہیں کہ وہ لٹھ لے کر ایک متوازی نظام وضع کرے۔ دورِ رسالت اور خلفا ٴ راشدین کے دور میں کسی نے بھی ذاتی طور پر سزا و جزا کا کام نہیں کیا تھا بلکہ نظامِ مملکت یہ فریضہ سر انجام دیتا تھا۔ لہذا یہ شعور بیدار کرنے کی ضرورت ہے۔ دینی و مذہبی جماعتوں، علمأ و دانشوروں ، ادیبوں و صحافیوں، کالم نگاروں اور معاشرے کے دوسرے باشعور افراد پر ذمہ داری عائد ہوتی ہے کہ وہ صدائے حریت بلند کریں اور قوم کی درست سمت میں رہنمائی کریں۔
Wahhabi ideologues repeatedly call those who believe in this prophetic virtue as Kafir. They have spread the misleading interpretations of the Quran on the subject among Muslims. Consequently this has caused a serious schism in the community and it has turned into a major cause of conflict between two sections of the Muslims. Therefore, there is a need to sincerely resolve this important issue related to the prophet’s knowledge of the unseen according to the Quran and Hadith. ...
‘Council of Islamic Ideology’s Observation on DNA Test in Rape Cases Defies Logic’: Asma Jahangir
Two Xinjiang Villages Bar Women from Covering Faces
South Sudanese Police Force Underage Girl to Marry A Soldier
Femen Activists Protest Topless in Tunisia, Claim the Start of a 'Women's Spring'
54 Pregnant Girls Discovered In Lagos Public Schools
Bihar women put their foot down, no wedding bells for 'undeserving' men
Pakistan Court Condemns Police over Rape Christian Girl
Outlawed GMF Chief’s Wife Held in Dhaka
Look Out! Your Daughter May Run Away
UN for Active Participation of Women in Drafting of New Libyan Constitution
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
India
Man Beheads Christian Son-In-Law for Not Converting To His Tribal Faith
Team of top scientists predict more Lashkar-e-Taiba attacks
Hindu-Muslim couple fear for their lives
Arab World
Top Muslim cleric Al-Qaradawi urges Sunnis to join Syria war
Ethiopia dam is 'declaration of war': Al-Gamaa Al-Islamiya
Pakistan
Two security forces, 23 militants killed in Khurram
Peace talks: PML-N, PTI undeterred by Taliban volte-face
North America
New FBI Director Set to Preserve “‘War on Terror’ Mentality”
American Muslim sues FBI, saying he was tortured at their behest in Mideast
Europe
Hague judges say Libya must hand over Gaddafi's son
Mideast
Yemen air raids kill 7 'Qaeda' members: Local official
Australia
National University introduces "blasphemy law" for fear of Muslim violence
South Asia
Radical monks, prejudice fuel Myanmar violence
Southeast Asia
Govt Must Back UN Resolution on Rohingya
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
For Details and More Headlines from All Regions, Please click, ‘More’
There is a pressing need to clarify a doubt that is at the lips or heart of every non-Muslim and probably many secular and street smart Muslims: Was Muhammad truly a Prophet of God, or an imposter – an age old question that has of late come to the fore in thundering chorus? This essay attempts to clarify this, once and for all. To begin with, it looks back into history to trace the root of this doubt or question......
In their religiosity Muslims display some of the extreme forms of misogynistic and male- centred parody of their Faith. The status of the women under the aegis of the various self-made dogma (1), is odd, as those are falsely applied under the canopy of the source Book. It is the most perplexing enigmas that beset the Muslim women. The highly restrictive and authoritarian over-lordship of men leaves no room for women to manoeuvre in the society as equal partners in what constitutes half of the population of humanity on earth....
Vinegar Cervical Cancer Test Saves Lives, India Study Finds
The Kurdish Woman Fighting Against Female Genital Mutilation
Court Marriages on the Rise in Pakistan
Salma Haseena Tops Chennai Schools in Class 10 Exams
Rape Kits to Be Provided To Forensic Medical Canters in Saudi Arabia
NLC Saudi Arabia: Women Can Be Nominated For High Positions
Dar es Salaam House Girls' Fleece Revealed
Pakistani Women Take Charge across Political Landscape
Madonna Pledges Funds for Campaign to Expand Girl’s School in Karachi
PPP Wins Reserved Seat for Women in ‘Lucky Draw’
Tale of 2 Women Converts Shows Egypt's Sectarian Divide
Muslim School Chiefs Pledge To Provide Top Women Business Executives and Directors
Women Deliver 2013 Focuses On Family Planning, Birth Control
Empowering Women and Closing Gender Gaps in Africa under Spotlight
How Vaccines Deliver Health for Women: Women Deliver 2013
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
South Asia
Maldivian Terrorist Was Brainwashed In Pakistan
Afghan Taliban on fence-mending tour of Iran
Africa
Polio Vaccines Rejected Over Rumours of Aid and Infertility Spread by Islamic Extremists
Suspected Islamist militants attack Niger prison
Mideast
Qaida chief warns attacks on US in 'everyone's reach'
Pakistan
First Sikh MPA since partition takes oath
Taliban kill school principal in FR Peshawar
Arab World
Eight Syrian security forces killed in Damascus car bomb: NGO
Iraq uncovers al-Qaeda 'chemical weapons plot'
Europe
Russia blocks UN declaration on Qusair: Diplomat
Southeast Asia
Myanmar Embassy Bomb Plot Involved Use of Chemical Explosives
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
For Details and More Headlines from All Regions, Please click, ‘More’
Khairat Al-Shater rules Egypt through the MB’s Guidance Bureau. When it was rumoured Al-Shater would become prime minister my response was why. He already rules Egypt. He doesn’t need the title because he’s Egypt’s invisible president....
‘Whose law?’ he said. ‘It’s not God’s law, is it?’ Shaking my head, I replied: ‘God doesn’t make traffic laws. He leaves that to the discretion of human beings. Surely, he has given us the wisdom to make a few laws of our own.’ After hearing this, the gentleman dismounted from his bike and started walking purposefully towards my car. ‘Listen,’ he said, wagging a finger, ‘I can ride my bike any which way I want to. Why should I care about traffic laws made by corrupt people?’...
When he was martyred, Gandhi was considered for a posthumous prize, which would have been unique, because the Nobel is only given to the living. But just leaving the prize go un-awarded was thought a better way of acknowledging him. And in 1999, as we have seen, the committee felt moved enough by guilt to publish an explanation of its omission. Knowing this background, it is difficult to understand why Abdul Sattar Edhi has not been given the Nobel Prize for Peace....
Salafism has to be acknowledged as a phenomenon, which propagates an extreme version of Islam with cultish aspects. Anybody who wants to combat Salafism in Germany has to grapple with it critically and differentiate it from Islam. Unfortunately many Muslim organisations shy away from this, as they are fearful of being tainted by association. Yet many still harbour admiration for Salafists as they consider them to be truly devout Muslims. Right-wing populists are bent on implementing expulsion policies. On the left, there is a clear tendency to shy away from conflict and attribute the phenomenon of radicalised Muslims to discrimination in society.
To debate Salafism, one has to discuss the values and strengths of democracy. It has to be done without anxiety, judgment or taboos and must be undertaken within Muslim communities. There is a need for a re-interpretation of Islam, which accepts democracy and has clear positions with respect to a country’s constitution. Only via this route can Muslims find freedom of interpretation in Islam and democracy....